The Kogi State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L-PRES) has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusivity and equitable participation of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in all aspects of project implementation. This position was made known when the Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Office for Disability Affairs (KOSADA), Yakubu Nazir Abdulhakeem, led a delegation on an advocacy visit to the L-PRES State Office in Lokoja.
The team was warmly received by the State Project Coordinator (SPC), Otaru Abdulkabir Onoruoyiza, who appreciated the visit and reiterated the project’s openness to engagement and collaboration.
He explained that L-PRES is Nigeria’s World Bank-Assisted project exclusively focused on livestock in recent time, structured to run for six years. With about three years remaining in the current phase.
The SPC highlighted that the project is designed around three key objectives: improving livestock productivity, enhancing commercialization, and building resilience across priority livestock value chains, namely poultry, small ruminants (sheep and goats), and cattle with focus on beef.
“This is not an empowerment or safety net initiative. L-PRES targets existing livestock farmers and agribusiness actors. Beneficiaries must be active participants in the livestock sector before they can qualify for the support, and interventions come in the form of credit through participating financial institutions,” he explained. “Our role is to identify, and sensitize these farmers, engage with them to understand their operations, and build their capacity to ensure they are well-positioned to access and effectively utilize the credit support available under the project.”
According to Mr. Otaru, about $70 million USD has been allocated to the project, with funding domiciled in the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and disbursed through commercial and microfinance banks across the state.
The SPC emphasized that inclusivity is a foundational principle of Kogi L-PRES, and the project has taken deliberate steps to integrate disability-friendly infrastructure and inclusive beneficiary models across its clusters. He cited the Lokoja Poultry Cluster as an example where PWDs are already participating meaningfully.
“Inclusiveness is in our project DNA. The Ministry of Women Affairs, which had oversight on disability matters before KOSODA was established, was a member of our State Steering and Technical Committees during the design phase. We are determined to scale up this commitment now that your agency is in full operation,” he said.
He further disclosed that several project activities have received World Bank clearance and are underway for implementation, including: capacity-building training for livestock farmers; Mapping of grazing reserves and stock routes; Preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and infrastructural support to the value chain clusters.
The SPC thanked and appreciated His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, for his unwavering support for L-PRES Project in Kogi State.
In his address, Yakubu Nazir Abdulhakeem, Executive Secretary of KOSODA, commended the Kogi L-PRES team for its progress and existing inclusive practices. He, however, appealed for stronger representation and prioritization of PWDs across all project clusters, particularly at the grassroots.
“We are here to advocate for full inclusivity as enshrined in both national and state legislation. This includes representation in employment, appointments, and participation in development programmes like L-PRES,” he stated.
Mr. Abdulhakeem emphasized that PWDs are not looking for sympathy but for opportunities to contribute meaningfully and sustainably.
“This project has the potential to reduce poverty and inequality for persons with disabilities. We were glad to be engaged during the planning stage, but we ask that you deepen our involvement across the local government areas and ensure representation in cluster formation,” he added.
